Happy 2024, everyone! As we embark on this new calendar year, I'm filled with eagerness and excitement for our journey ahead. Back in November, our schools took part in CMC's 64th Annual Math Conference, sending a team of representatives from every school including administration, coaches, teachers, and support staff. This conference provided us with a remarkable opportunity to reassess our approach to mathematics, especially as we align ourselves with the new California Math Framework, adopted by the state in July 2023.
At the conference, we learned about significant themes in Mathematics such as supporting English Language learners and students with special needs, fostering equitable conditions for all learners, integrating STEM activities, honing coaching and leadership skills, and preparing our students for college and career readiness. Since then, our dedicated staff members have been diligently incorporating these insights into their teaching practices, learning activities, classroom conditions, and targeted support for our students.
I've had the privilege of witnessing some powerful teaching strategies taking shape in our classrooms with our brilliant students, including the effective use of math manipulatives, personalized small group instruction, engaging dramatic play with real-world math scenarios, posing open-ended questions, embracing mistakes as part of the learning process, fostering student and small team exploration, collaborative problem-solving, and weaving literacy into mathematical word problems through multiple read strategies and close reading techniques. Other effective strategies such as counting collections and number talks have also been embraced; which has really supported a growing culture of “math is fun, math is for everyone!”
We firmly believe that initiating these shifts now will not only enhance the confidence of our staff in embracing the new math framework but will also foster a culture of continuous learning and growth for all. Together, as we navigate through this journey, let's remain curious, celebrate both our challenges and successes, and bolster our collective capacity through strategic sharing and cohesive teamwork. It's important to acknowledge that we are all learners in this space, and many of us are unlearning some of the conventional methods of teaching and learning mathematics that we either grew up with or were trained in. Remember; together we are at our strongest on this journey, and together we will rise!